In comparison with human proportions, a garage door can have a relatively large size. For example, the garage door can have an area on an order of about 100 square feet. Because of the relatively large size, the garage door can be configured so that, in an open state, the garage door is disposed inside of a garage and is substantially parallel to a ceiling of the garage. In this manner, the garage door can be prevented from being an obstruction in the open state. The garage door can be connected to the garage via a track and roller system. With the track and roller system, at each side of an opening of the garage, a corresponding track can be disposed. At each side of the garage door, rollers can be connected. The rollers connected to a side can be configured to roll along the corresponding track.
The garage door can be divided into sections in which each section is connected to one or more other sections via one or more hinges. A roller can be connected to a side of a section of the garage door near a top of the section. The roller can be connected to the side of the section of the garage door via a pin that is disposed through a center of the roller and is connected to the side of the section of the garage door. The roller can be configured to rotate freely about the pin as the roller rolls along a track. The track can include a vertical piece, a horizontal piece, and an angle piece. The vertical piece can be disposed at a side of the opening of the garage. The horizontal piece can be disposed substantially parallel to the ceiling of the garage so that the horizontal piece and the vertical piece are substantially in a plane. The angle piece can have a first end and a second end. A first end of the angle piece can be connected to the vertical piece. A second end of the angle piece can be connected to the horizontal piece. The angle piece can have a shape that substantially forms an arc. A radius of the arc can have a length of a dimension that allows, when the garage door is being opened, a section of the garage door to rotate from a vertical disposition to a horizontal disposition.
Furthermore, in comparison with other objects routinely lifted by humans, the garage door can have a relatively large weight. For example, the garage door can have a weight on an order of about 100 pounds. Because of the relatively large weight, the garage door can be connected to a counterbalance system configured to produce a force to augment a relatively small force applied to open the garage door. Combined, this relatively small force and the force produced by the counterbalance system can cause the garage door to be opened. The counterbalance system can include, for example, one or more torsion springs, one or more extensions springs, or both.
If the counterbalance system includes torsion springs, then a pair of torsion springs can be disposed around a torsion shaft. The torsion shaft can be disposed inside the garage substantially parallel to a top of the opening of the garage. Each side of the torsion shaft can be connected to a corresponding drum in a manner that allows the torsion shaft and the drums to rotate in unison. Each drum can be connected to a first end of a corresponding torsion cable in a manner that allows the torsion cable to coil around the drum as the drum rotates. A second end of each torsion cable can be connected to a corresponding bottom bracket. Each bottom bracket can be connected to a corresponding bottom corner of the garage door. Additionally, each side of the torsion shaft can be supported by an end bearing. Each end bearing can be disposed at a corresponding side of the opening of the garage. Each end bearing can be connected to a header beam above the opening of the garage or to another load bearing component of the garage. The torsion shaft can also be disposed through a center bracket in a manner that allows the torsion shaft to rotate freely within the center bracket. The center bracket can be connected to the header beam or to another load bearing component of the garage. The center bracket can be disposed substantially at a center of a length of the garage door. Each torsion spring can be connected to a corresponding stationary cone at a first end of the torsion spring and connected to a corresponding winding cone at a second end of the torsion spring. Each stationary cone can be connected to the center bracket. Each winding cone can be connected to the torsion shaft in a manner so that, when the garage door is in a shut state, each torsion spring can be in a compressed state and can be maintained in the compressed state by the weight of the garage door. When a relatively small force is applied to open the garage door, this relatively small force can be augmented by forces produced by of each of the compressed torsion springs. In a process of expanding, the torsion springs can apply a torque to the torsion shaft. The torque applied to the torsion shaft can cause the torsion shaft and the drums to rotate in a manner that causes torsion cables to coil around the drums. As the torsion cables coil around the drums, the torsion cables can apply forces to bottom brackets at the bottom corners of the garage door in a manner that augments the relatively small force applied to open the garage door. Combined, this relatively small force and the force produced by the torsion springs can cause the garage door to be opened.
Additionally or alternatively, if the counterbalance system includes one or more extension springs, then each extension spring of a pair of extension springs can be connected to a load bearing component of the garage, near a corresponding horizontal piece of a corresponding track, at a first end of the extension spring. A second end of each extension spring can be connected to a corresponding cable at a first end of the cable. Each cable can be disposed through a corresponding pulley. Each pulley can be disposed inside the garage near a top corner of the opening of the garage. Each pulley can be connected to the header beam above the opening of the garage or to another load bearing component of the garage. A second end of each cable can be connected to a corresponding bottom bracket. Each bottom bracket can be connected to a corresponding bottom corner of the garage door. When the garage door is in the shut state, each extension spring is in an extended state and can be maintained in the extended state by the weight of the garage door. When a relatively small force is applied to open the garage door, this relatively small force can be augmented by forces produced by of each of the extended extension springs. In a process of contracting, the extension springs can apply forces to the cables. These forces can be redirected by the pulley so that the cables can apply forces to the bottom brackets. The forces applied to the bottom brackets can be applied to the bottom corners of the garage door in a manner that augments the relatively small force applied to open the garage door. Combined, this relatively small force and the force produced by the extension springs can cause the garage door to be opened.
The garage door often can be connected to a garage door opener. The garage door opener can be a device configured to open and to shut the garage door automatically. The garage door opener can be a source of the relatively small force applied to open the garage door. The force produced by the garage door opener can be produced by a motor. The motor can be, for example, an electric motor. The electric motor can be an alternating current motor or a direct current motor. The motor can be controlled by one or more switches, one or more remote controls, or both. A shaft of the motor can be coupled to a drive mechanism in a manner that allows a rotation of the shaft to cause a rotation of the drive mechanism. The drive mechanism can be a chain, a belt, or a screw. The drive mechanism can be disposed substantially parallel to the ceiling of the garage and substantially parallel to a rail. A first end of the rail can be disposed above the opening of the garage substantially at a point that corresponds to the center of the length of the garage door. A second end of the rail can be disposed near to the motor. A trolley can be coupled to the drive mechanism in a manner that allows the rotation of the drive mechanism to cause the trolley to move linearly along the rail. An arm can be connected to the trolley at a first end of the arm. A second end of the arm can be connected to a garage door opener bracket. The garage door opener bracket can be connected to a top section of the garage door substantially at a point that corresponds to the center of the length of the garage door. When the motor of the garage door opener is operating, the rotation of the shaft can cause the rotation of the drive mechanism. The rotation of the drive mechanism can cause the trolley to move linearly along the rail. Movement of the trolley can cause movement of the arm. Movement of the arm can apply a force to the garage door opener bracket. The force applied to the garage door opener bracket can be the relatively small force applied to open the garage door. This relatively small force can be augmented by forces produced by the counterbalance system. Combined, this relatively small force and the force produced by the counterbalance system can cause the garage door to be opened.